Mozambique joins the UN Security Council
Filipe Nyusi, President of Mozambique, at the Africa/US Summit.
Getty Images - Kevin Dietsch
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Since January 1, Mozambique has had a seat as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the first time in its history.
Publicity
Read more
Elected in June, Mozambique replaces Kenya at the table of the highest
United Nations
institution .
This is an important step for this southern African country which therefore began its two-year term on January 1, 2023.
Its president,
Filipe Nyusi,
announced that he would make the request for two permanent seats for Africa a priority of the Mozambican mandate.
On the African crises on the other hand, in particular that between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Mozambique is likely to observe the strictest neutrality, according to Michel Cahen, director of research emeritus of the CNRS at the Institute of political sciences of Bordeaux.
Because Rwanda, which is held responsible for much of the destabilization of eastern Congo, “
is Mozambique's main military ally in the fight against the jihadists in the north of the country.
Thus, I do not see Mozambique entering into a policy of pressure at the UN on Rwanda so that they stop supporting part of the rebels in the east of the Congo
”, analyzes the expert.
In addition, Rwanda's military aid to Mozambique is very important and for Mozambique, this aid is also the means of not depending too much on regional support from the Community of Southern African Countries (SADC).
"
So, I believe that this positioning will almost immobilize all Mozambican policies in the Congo affair
", adds the researcher.
Regarding Ukraine, Mozambique may not take a position either.
Even if “
Mozambique is not pro-Russian, recalls the researcher, it has always tried to maneuver so as not to belong to any camp
”.
Thus, "
Mozambique will continue with an independent foreign policy which will be close to that of Lula, the new president of Brazil: not to support Russia, but never to condemn it
", he predicts.
For example, during the vote on a UN resolution on the war in Ukraine on March 24, 2022, Mozambique abstained.
And he did the same on October 12 when the UN General Assembly voted on a resolution condemning the “
illegal annexation
” of Ukrainian territories by Russia.
► To read also: Africa divided on the UN resolution on Ukraine
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
UN
mozambique
Filipe Nyusi